Ceiling and elements thereof



Mm? E@ RMN GEILXNG AND ELEM 2 Sheetsheet l Filed May 3.3, 1964 May 30, 1967 l.. G. STAHLHUT 3,32,882

CEILING AND ELEMENTS THEREOF 2 'sheetsheet Filed May 13, 19.64

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United States Patent (')fice 3,321,882 Patented May 30, 1967 3,321,382 CEILENG AND ELEMENTS THEREOF Leo G. Stahlhut, Kirkwood, Mo., assigner to K-S-lfl Plastics, Inc., St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Filed May 13, 1964, Ser. No. 367,168 7 Claims. (Cl. 52-484) This invention relates to ceilings of the drop type, wherein main rails and cross rails are suspended from some fixed structural element, and in turn, support ceiling panels, lighting fixtures, and the like.

One disadvantage of the conventional kinds of drop ceilings which are offered for installation by a householder, for example, is that a multitude of small parts is required, and the installation is complicated and difficult.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide ceiling elements which can be assembled quickly and easily, to provide a finished ceiling which is attractive but economical of materials and labor.

Other objects will become apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the following description and accompanying drawing.

In accordance with this invention, generally stated, a drop type ceiling is provided with main and cross rails made of thin gauge sheet metal, which can be supported solely on a relatively few suspending members, such as wires.

The rails of this invention are constructed to provide panel-holding tabs, wall-engaging shape supporting and holding means, and rail interlocking means, all integral with the rail itself. Thus, it is contemplated with ceiling elements of this invention, that a room eight feet square can be provided with a ceiling ready to accommodate two foot square panels, with but three main rails, three cross rails, four wall-engaging shapes, and four to six hanger Wires.

In the drawing:

FIGURE l is a view in perspective, partly broken away, showing an illustrative embodiment of a ceiling of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2'of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary top plan view showing the mounting of panels on the main and cross rails of this invention;

FIGURE 4 is a `sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is an exploded view in perspective, showing main and cross rails in position to be interlocked;

FIGURE 7 is a view in side elevation of an eight foot cross rail of this invention;

FIGURE 8 is a view in side elevation of an eight foot main rail of this invention; and

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary View partly in section showing the assembly of a rail and a wall engaging shape of this invention.

Referring now to the drawing for one illustrative embodiment of this invention, reference numeral 1 indicates a completed ceiling, made up of main rails 2, lcross rails 3, wall-engaging shapes 4, hanger Wires 5, and panels 6.

Each of the main and cross rails 2 and 3 is made of one piece of sheet metal. Each has a hollow, substantially rectangular body 10, with a bottom wall 11, side walls 12, and a top made up of a free shoulder 13 and a spine shoulder 14.

A spine 1S is integral with and contiguous the spine shoulder 14. The spine 15 is spaced transversely from the free shoulder 13. The spine 15 lies along the center line of the body 10, as shown in FIGURE 4.

41 and a horizontal shelf 42. The shelf Along its length, the spine 15 is provided with integral tabs 16, the bottom edge of which is spaced through at least a portion of its length, to accommodate the panel 6 between the bottom edge of the tab and the shoulder 13 or 14 as the case may be. The tabs 16 are made t0 be manually bendable away from the plane of the spine, toward either the shoulder 13 or the shoulder 14. Intermediate the tabs 16, the spine is provided with hanger mounting openings 17, through which the end of the hanger wires S can be run.

Each of the rails also is provided at the end immediately adjacent a wall with a bendable end tab 18, the lower edge of which defines the upper edge of a. wall-engaging shape-receiving slot 19.

Each of the main rails 2 is provided at regular intervals along its length, with notches 21, extending entirely through the height of the spine 15, through the shoulders 13 and 14, and part way through the height of the side walls 12. In each of the side walls 12, the lower end of the notch 21 is defined by an upwardly extending saddle 22, and side wall edges 23. Near the top of the side wall edges 23 in the side walls 12 are oppositely disposed inwardly projecting prongs 24.

The notch 21 may flare through the spine 15, in order to facilitate assembly of the rails, but the side edges 23 are spaced to embrace closely the outside surfaces of the side walls 12 of a cross rail.

Each of the cross rails 3 is provided at regular intervals along its length with notches 31 extending upwardly through the bottom wall 11, and part way through the height of the side walls 12. The upper part of each notch 31 is defined by a downwardly depending apron 32, and side edges 33 in each of the side walls 12. Also in the side walls 12, extending from just below the shoulders 13 and 14 through a distance short of the bottom of the notch 31, are two keeper holes 35, positioned complementarily to the prongs 24 of the main rail.

The main and cross rails can be made of any desired length. However, when, as a matter of convenience, it is desired to join two rails end to end, each of the abutting rails is terminated in the center of of the cross r-ail 3, it can be seen, particularly in FIGURE 6 that the apron, which is cut in half, forms a kind 0f hook, engaging the side wall of the main rail at the notch 21, and being held in place by the engagement of the prongs 24 n the keeper holes 35. The other abutting section of the cross rail is put into position from the other side of the main rail.

If two main `rail sections are to be abutted, it can be seen that the engagement of the prongs 24 in the keeper hole of the cross rail, and the engagement of the edge of the saddle 22 in the inside surface `of the side wall of the cross rail, will hold the main rail in position. However, it is advisable to install a hanger wire near the abutting ends of the main .rail sections, particularly if the lceiling is to carry a substantial load at that point, as, for example, a troffer of a fluorescent light fixture.

In the illustrative embodiment shown,

the wall-engaging shape 4 is merely a light gauge metal `angle with a 4back 4t2 extends within the slot 19, resting on the shoulders 13 and 14. The inboard surface of the back 41 is engaged by the end tab 18, to hold it into position with the outboard surface of the back 41 engaging the surface of a wall 7 of the `room in which the ceiling is installed. Except as it may produce a certain frictional engagement with the wall, the wallengaging shape 4 performs no supporting function.

The installation of the ceiling of this invention is extraordinarily easy. The dimensions `of the room are determined, and the cross and main rails `are cut to fit, unless the room is of a size with standard lengths of the rails, If, kas in the usual arrangement, the notches in the rails are on two foot centers, the main rails are then hung, by means of suspending wires 5, at two foot intervals through the length or width of the room. The cross rails are then placed over the top of the main rails and snapped down into place. By virtue of the space between the free shoulder 13 and the spine l5 of the cross rails, the side walls l2 can spring in sufficiently to permit the prongs 24 to clear the side walls `between the apron and the keeper holes 35, `and then spring out to catch the prongs in the keeper holes. The sloped upper surface of the prongs 24 facilitates this.

The end tabs are `bent to one side far enough to permit the positio-ning of the wall-engaging shapes 4 `along the ends of the main and cross rails, and the tabs 18 are bent out again to force the back of the wall engaging shapes against the wall.

The panels 6 can now be laid in the frames defined by the interlocked rails, on top of the shoulders 31.3 and 14. As each panel 6 is placed in position, one or more of the bendable tabs 116 can be bent out over the panel to hold it down.

It is 4apparent that if the ceiling were to be composed only of panels 6, the tabs which would normally hold the last of the panels to be inserted could not be bent in after the panel was inserted. Ordinarily, the problem does not arise, because at least one fiuorescent lighting troffer or the like is positioned in the ceiling, and it is not necessary to use the tabs to hold such a fixture in place. However, by bending the tabs, especially on opposite sides of the panel, before the panel is inserted, and springing them back slightly with the panel as it is inserted, even a solid panel ceiling, can be installed with all of the panels fixed in position.

The ceiling of this invention is particularly advantageous with the use of foamed, extremely light weight panels. The supporting structure itself is light in weight, the provision for holding down the panels is a simple and effective one, and in many instances, the cost of the light weight foamed panels themselves is so low as to justify their replacement rather than cleaning.

It can be seen that leveling of the ceiling of this invention can be achieved very easily 'by adjusting the length of the hangers 5. Unlike conventional ceilings, in which support is had from wall brackets which must, accordingly, be leveled and made square with considerable nicety, the installation of the ceiling of this invention requires only an ordinary carpenters level and only the most rudimentary skill.

Numerous variations in the construction of the ceiling and elements thereof, within the scope of the appended claims will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the foregoing disclosure. For example, the cross rails can be suspended by hangers first and 4the main rails snapped in from the bottom. The main rails are then supported only by the prongs, but for light panelling, this is sufficient, though not preferred. The wall-engaging shapes can be T-shaped with the stem in the slot, or inverted F-shaped, to provide what appears to be a shelf, or it can be slotted to form what appears to be another rail. The rails can be made with one shoulder spaced vertically r-ather than horizontally from the spine, to permit relative movement, or can be made touching, though that is not the preferred embodiment. These are merely illustrative of such variations.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A rail adapted to use as a main rail or a cross rail in a ceiling comprising main rails and cross rails, said rail being hollow, formed of one piece of sheet metal, having a body of substantial width and height, and a relatively thin planar spine having an upper long free edge, said body having either side of said spine, said spine having bendable tabs integral with said spine, each of said tabs being defined panel supporting shoulders on by a cut through the free edge of the spine, said tabdefining cut tending from the said free edge of the spine toward the said shoulders and longitudinally of said spine to define a margin of said tab adjacent and spaced above said shoulders a ceiling panel-accommodating distance and a hinge axis extending from the said free edge toward said shoulders, whereby a panel resting on one of said shoulders can lbe clamped between said tab and said shoulder when the tab is subsequently bent along its hinge axis out of the plane of the spine.

2. A ceiling comprising main rails, cross rails and rail interlocking means interconnecting said 'main rails and cross rails, e-ach of said rails being hollow, formed of one piece of sheet metal, having a body of substantial width and height and a relatively thin spine, said body having panel-supporting shoulders on either side of said spine, means, connected to said spine and to an overhead support constituting the sole positive support for the ceiling, and a wall-engaging shape having a vertical, wall-engaging back and a horizontal shelf projecting therefrom, said horizontal shelf resting upon the shoulders of the body of a rail, and a bendable end tab integral with said spine, engaging the inboard surface of said back.

3. A rail adapted to use as a. main rail or a cross rail in a ceiling comprising main rails and cross rails, said rail being hollow, formed of one piece of sheet metal, having a body of substantial width and height and a relatively thin spine, said ybody having panelsupporting shoulders on either side of said spine, said spine having panel-engaging bendable tabs integral with said spine and spaced above said shoulder to accommodate a panel on said shoulder and a bendable end tab, the lower edge of said end tab defining the upper margin of a well-engaging shape-receiving slot, and a wall-engaging shape having a vertical wall-engaging back yand a horizontal shelf projecting therefrom, said horizontal shelf projecting into said slot and said bendable end tab engaging the inboard surface of said back.

4. A rail adapted to use as a main rail or cross rail in a ceiling comprising main rails and cross rails supporting panels, said rail being hollow, formed of one piece of sheet metal, having a body of substantial width and height and a relatively thin spine, a bendable end tab integral with said spine, the lower edge of said end tab defining the upper margin of a wall-engaging shapereceiving slot, and a wall-engaging shape having a vertical wall-engaging back and a horizontal shelf projecting therefrom and into said slot, said bendable end tab engaging the inboard surface of said back.

5. A rail for use in a drop ceiling, said rail being made of one piece of sheet metal and comprising a hollow body of substantial width and height and a relatively thin spine, a first shoulder integral with and contiguous said spine, and a second shoulder, on the opposite side of said spine from said first shoulder, and spaced therefrom, said spine extending substantially along the center line of said body and being provided with integral, bendable tabs, each of said tabs being defined by a cut through the free edge of the spine, s-aid tab-defining cuts tending from the free edge of the spine toward the said shoulders and longitundinally of said spine to define a lower margin of said tab adjacent and spaced above said shoulders and a hinge axis extending from the said free edge toward said shoulders, the said lower margin being sloped toward said shoulders from the free end of said tab to the said hinge axis.

6. A rail for use in a ydrop ceiling, said rail being made of one piece of sheet metal and comprising a hollow body of substantial width and height and a relatively thin spine, a first shoulder integral with and contiguous said spine, and a second shoulder, on the opposite side of said spine from said rst shoulder, and spaced therefrom, said spine extending substantially along the center line of said body and being provided at its end with a bendable end tab integral with the spine, the lower edge of the end tab defining the upper margin of a slot adapted to receive a projecting shelf of a wall-engaging shape.

7. In a ceiling wherein nia-in and cross rails extend at right angles t0 one another, the improvement comprising main `and cross rails each being made of one piece of sheet metal and comprising `a hollow body rectangular in cross section, with bottom, side and top walls, and Aa relatively thin spine, a first shoulder defined by a part of the top wall, integral with and contiguous said spine, and a second shoulder defined by another part of said top wall, on the opposite side of said spine from said rst shoulder, and spaced therefrom, said spine extending substantially along the center line of said body, one of the main rails and cross rails having a notch extending through the spine, shoulders and a part of the side walls of the body, said notch being delined in the side walls of said body by an upwardly projecting saddle, at the bottom, and side edges having oppositely disposed, inwardly projecting prongs, the other of said main rail and cross rail having a notch extending through the bottom wall 20 and through a part of the side walls, the upper boundary of said notch being defined by a downwardly projecting apron, and, above said apron, said side walls each having a pair of spaced prong-receiving keeper holes, whereby said rails can be seated in their complementary notches, with the apron spanning the open top of one notched rail and the saddle, the open bottom of the other, and the prongs of the one projecting into the keeper holes of the other.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,142,367 7/1964 Brown et al. 52-484 XR 3,217,460 11/1965 Downing 52-735 3,241,280 3/1966 Kreuzer 52-484 X DAVID I. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner. HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Examiner. J. K. BELL, Assistant Examiner. 

2. A CEILING COMPRISING MAIN RAILS, CROSS RAILS AND RAIL INTERLOCKING MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID MAIN RAILS AND CROSS RAILS, EACH OF SAID RAILS BEING HOLLOW, FORMED OF ONE PIECE OF SHEET METAL, HAVING A BODY OF SUBSTANTIAL WIDTH AND HEIGHT AND A RELATIVELY THIN SPINE, SAID BODY HAVING PANEL-SUPPORTING SHOULDERS ON EITHER SIDE OF SAID SPINE, MEANS, CONNECTED TO SAID SPINE AND TO AN OVERHEAD SUPPORT CONSTITUTING THE SOLE POSITIVE SUPPORT FOR THE CEILING AND A WALL-ENGAGING SHAPE HAVING A VERTICAL, WALL-ENGAGING BACK AND A HORIZONTAL SHELF PROJECTING THEREFROM, SAID 